(19-12-2011 12:21 AM)Mr Woof Wrote: I must say I have found it very refreshing to discover an open forum such as T.A.F. where religious people, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists, eccentrics. free thinkers et al can express their views, excluding obvious hatred, in a free and open environment.

I love it here, too. Have you ever been to Richard Dawkins' site? It has moderators, and they frequently get rid of Christian postings... even ones that follow the "terms and conditions". Any posting filled with vitriol at theists, though, is always allowed. You can't get into a real discussion there. The same with theist sites that I frequent, such as Catholic.com... you can present a perfectly reasonable and quiet argument, but if someone doesn't like it they can flag it which is the same as a death sentence.

My girlfriend is mad at me. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried cooking a stick in her non-stick pan.

(19-12-2011 12:21 AM)Mr Woof Wrote: I must say I have found it very refreshing to discover an open forum such as T.A.F. where religious people, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists, eccentrics. free thinkers et al can express their views, excluding obvious hatred, in a free and open environment.

I love it here, too. Have you ever been to Richard Dawkins' site? It has moderators, and they frequently get rid of Christian postings... even ones that follow the "terms and conditions". Any posting filled with vitriol at theists, though, is always allowed. You can't get into a real discussion there. The same with theist sites that I frequent, such as Catholic.com... you can present a perfectly reasonable and quiet argument, but if someone doesn't like it they can flag it which is the same as a death sentence.

I think it's *really important* to let opposing points of view be heard if they're rude or vitriolic - such things are a better advertisement for the foolishness of the perpetrator than any amount of rational argument. Besides, over here we tend to give as good as we get

(19-12-2011 12:21 AM)Mr Woof Wrote: I must say I have found it very refreshing to discover an open forum such as T.A.F. where religious people, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists, eccentrics. free thinkers et al can express their views, excluding obvious hatred, in a free and open environment.

I love it here, too. Have you ever been to Richard Dawkins' site? It has moderators, and they frequently get rid of Christian postings... even ones that follow the "terms and conditions". Any posting filled with vitriol at theists, though, is always allowed. You can't get into a real discussion there. The same with theist sites that I frequent, such as Catholic.com... you can present a perfectly reasonable and quiet argument, but if someone doesn't like it they can flag it which is the same as a death sentence.

I agree; if everyone just agrees with every one else it isn't much fun.
Some people believe they are 100% right with their whole attention being for you to agree with them. I will have a look at the Dawkins forum.........not a big fan

(21-12-2011 01:18 AM)morondog Wrote:

(21-12-2011 12:34 AM)Starcrash Wrote:

(19-12-2011 12:21 AM)Mr Woof Wrote: I must say I have found it very refreshing to discover an open forum such as T.A.F. where religious people, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists, eccentrics. free thinkers et al can express their views, excluding obvious hatred, in a free and open environment.

I love it here, too. Have you ever been to Richard Dawkins' site? It has moderators, and they frequently get rid of Christian postings... even ones that follow the "terms and conditions". Any posting filled with vitriol at theists, though, is always allowed. You can't get into a real discussion there. The same with theist sites that I frequent, such as Catholic.com... you can present a perfectly reasonable and quiet argument, but if someone doesn't like it they can flag it which is the same as a death sentence.

I think it's *really important* to let opposing points of view be heard if they're rude or vitriolic - such things are a better advertisement for the foolishness of the perpetrator than any amount of rational argument. Besides, over here we tend to give as good as we get

Yes some correpondents can be so full of hatred that I think its best just to ignore them. I have found down here that many atheists involved in groups are quite militant and look to ridicule rather thann calm discussion...